1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a guide structure including at least two relatively movable line and character scales selectively positionable over the face of a standard or conventional form wherein any given blank space on the form may be located and/or identified.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the use of modern day word processors it is common practice to "store" in the memory thereof the content of various forms. When a particular form is required, it is retrieved by the operator of the word processor from the processor's memory. Information supplied to the operator allows the operator to fill in the blank spaces with information particular to a given application or situation. Much time is of course saved in that the operator does not have to type the entire form from beginning to end each time such a frequently used form is utilized.
However, when forms encompassing a great number of blank spaced are repeatedly used, confusion of the operator of such a word processor frequently occurs when a particular blank space to be filled in not properly or adequately identified by one providing the informational instructions. Commonly, the one providing the instructions refers to a conventional material form and instructs the operator of a word processor by either direct or mechanical dictation as to what information is to be utilized to fill each of the specific blanks contained in the standard form. However, unless there is a systematic approach to identifying each of the blanks to be filled, the above set forth confusion can easily occur.
Accordingly, there is a need for a guide structure or like device applicable for use with conventional paper material form and which is structured specifically for the purpose of locating and identifying each of any number of blank spaces on a given form.
Such a guide structure should be capable of efficient operative use and should incorporate means to identify a given space which is relatively fool-proof, thereby preventing the wrong information from being placed in the wrong blank space. Such means to identify a given space or location on a material form should be interchangeable with the scale means utilized to identify locations or blank spaces of a form shown on the display screen of the aforementioned type of word processor.
Numerous types of apparatus and structures designed for standardizing forms and/or rendering the use of such forms more convenient are well known in the prior art. Reference is hereby made to the U.S. patents to Dalboe, U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,917; and Larrabee, U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,130. Both of these patents disclose structure used in combination with standardized form-like material wherein the normal utilization of the intended document is made more efficient. However, neither of these references disclose the concept of locating a specific blank space or surface area portion on a conventional standardized form wherein such identified location can be readily transferred, through the operator of a word processor, for the purpose of locating the same space on a display screen of the same word processor whether or not the standardized form is "stored" in word processor memory and able to be displayed on the display screen.